Holiday Season Offers Opportunity for Families to Communicate About Drinking

Recent research even suggests that holidays may be one environmental factor that can increase risk or confer protection from alcoholism within families. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, alcoholism may become more harmful to family functioning and more likely to be passed to the next generation if drinking interferes with such activities as dinner times, holidays, vacations and other family rituals. Conversely, researchers believe that maintenance of family rituals, even through years characterized by heavy drinking, may prevent alcoholism from being passed between generations.

And, what better time to consider federal guidelines regarding alcohol than the holiday season when drinking increases as dramatically as credit card balances in January. According to federal guidelines; no more than one drink a day for women, or two drinks for men, and no drinks for those under age 21, pregnant and/or alcoholics. They also reinforce the Surgeon General's warning that individuals who may be driving should not drink at all. The federal guidelines regarding alcohol appear in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans published in 2000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They define a drink as 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits; 5 ounces of table wine; or 12 ounces of beer.

Successful family holiday celebrations should offer plenty of alternatives to drinking so that adult guests will not be tempted to drink excessively and so that non-drinking guests will not feel left out. Non-alcoholic beverages, food and activities other than drinking will help to ensure a safer, more inclusive party.

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